Remover for artificial colors from hair



Patented Apr. 1, 1941' 2,286,970 miMovEa FOR ARTIFICIAL COLORS morn Abraham R. Goldfarb, New York, N. Y... assignor to Lawrence Richard Bruce Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut v No Drawing.

Application March 22, 1937, Serial No. $2,295

Claims. (oil 167-88) This invention relates to color removers and more particularly to removers for the artificial colors of the metallic and vegetable dye type used in dyeing hair, and particularly living human hair.

In the art of dyeing hair, particularly human hair, containing artificial coloring material, it frequently is found desirable to remove the artificial coloring material .in the hair to. restore at least approximately its natural or preliminary color prior to a redyeing operation. Removers ,for some organic dyestuffs are known, butthese have not been available or satisfactory because of various reasons. Some emit odors upon being dissolved in a solvent and are highly objectionable in use, and moreover, have an injurious and deleterious effect on the hair or scalp or both.

Another drawback to the use of some of these known dye removers resides in the fact that they so aifect the hair structure that immediate redyeing of the hair is an impossibility, and a prolonged time interval, usually at least twentyfour hours, must elapse after the application of the hair dye remover before the hair'is in a suitable condition to be dyed again. In instances where the hair has been dyed with metallic dyes, metallic color restorers, and the like and some vegetable dyes, no satisfactory remover for these dyes have heretofore been developed, in so far as I am aware.

In accordance with my invention, I may produce a hair dye or hair color remover which is especially suitable for the removal of metallic dyes, metallic hair color restorers and of many vegetable dyes and which is free from the objections inherent in the known artificial color removers for hair. The color remover embodying my invention comprises a sulphonated oleaginous material, such as a sulphonated 011 or oily material, containing free sulphonic acid groups, and may be used alone or in aqueous solution; preferably, however, I use it in combination with an organic acid or a solvent which exhibits mutualsolvent capacity for water, the sulphonated oleaginous material and the organic acid or with both. The solvent, when used, appears to promote penetration and facilitate subsequent removal of the composition and dye; and the organic acid appears to improve penetration and promote the formation of a removable dye complex. This artificial color remover is particularly suitable for living human hair and is pears to properly condition the hair to render it immediately susceptible to recoloring or redyeing.

The sulphonated oleaginous material employed in my novel composition may suitably be a sulphonated vegetable oil, 'anima1 oil, or heavy mineral oil, or a sulphonated higher fatty alcohol, to

' which, after treatment with sulphuric acid'to effect sulphonation thereof, suflicient alkali such as sodium hydroxide or an organic base such as mono-, dior tri-ethanolamine has been added to neutralize substantially all of the free sulphuric acid. The amount of alkali which is added to the sulphonic acid derivative may be sufficient to neutralize not only all of the free sulphuric acid but some of the free sulphonic groups as well. In any event, it is essential that the sulphonated oleaginous material contain some free sulphonic acid groups and preferably all of them. Oleaginous material sulphonated to any desired extent may beused. I have found that oleaginous materials sulphonated to the extent of 6 to 15% to be highly eifective.

The oleaginous material subjected to sulphonation for use may be of any suitable character; thus it maybe a vegetable oil, such as the nondrying oils, castor oil, olive oil, and the like; the semi-drying oils, cottonseed oil, corn oil and the like; or the drying oils, linseed oil, perilla oil and the like; an animal oil, such as lard oil or commercial hydrogenated oils; or a mineral oil, preferably a heavy mineral oil distillate; or. higher fatty alcohols, such as lauryl, cetyl, myristyl and like fatty alcohols having 6 to 8 or more and preferably 12 or more carbon atoms in the carbon chain.

The organic acids employed in my novel composition are acids which are capable of forming Water solublecompounds or complexes with the highly effective in removing even the artificial variousmetals ordinarily used as mordants in dyeing hair, such as copper and iron. Thus for example, aromatic carboxylic acids suchas salicyclic acid; aliphatic carboxylic acids such as tartaric, lactic, citric, beta hydroxy butyric acid,

glycollic and malic; monoand di-baslc acidsderived from carbohydrates such as gluconlc and saccharic acids; aldehyde-hydroxy-acids such as glucuronic acid; or amino acetic acids such as glycocoll (glycine) and methyl glycocoll (sarcosine) and like acids may be used.

The common solvents employed in carrying out the invention are preferably organic solvents which are mutually soluble'in water and in the sulphonated oil or oily material and the organic acid embodied in my invention. Suitable solvents which may be used in carrying out the invention are glycerine, ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol; the alcohol ethers such as ethylene glycol mono-methyl ether. ethylene 81ycol mono-ethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-methyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-ethyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-butyl ether, and the like.

The following illustrative examples of compositions embodying my invention have been Under some conditions, as when the hair is dyed with a mixture of dyes of the metal and organic base types, the color or dye remover embodying my invention may remove substantially all of the metal dye but may not remove all of the organic dye and thus leave the hair with an undesirable shade. Even under these conditions the color remover leaves the hair in a condition for immediate retreatment with a dye for redyeing the hair to a desired shade or to modify the oil-shade. If desired, I may incorporate with my color remover a dye, suitably one of the wellknown progressive type and thus simultaneously redye the conditioned hair and thereby prevent the formation of ugly off-shades which may result from the removal of only part of a mixed dye.

It is readily apparent that other oleaginous materials as hereinbefore set forth may replace those employed in the formulas of these specific examples. Furthermore, theproportions of ingredients set forth'in the illustrative examples are not to be regarded as critical since the relative amounts of the ingredients may be varied within rather wide limits; or inert oils or water may be incorporated if desired. The best results have been obtained, however, by using a major part of the sulphonated oil or oily material, a minor part of common solvent and a small part of the organic acid. It is not desirable to use in excess of about of the organic acid since any great excess may cause an irritation of the scalp. Usually, satisfactory results have been oba,aao,o7o

thoroughly with some suitable rinsing solution and the hair is then shampooed in any conventional manner. Ordinary water. either cold or luke warm, will readily rinse the color removing composition and the dissolved color fromthe hair. I have found that hair treated with my novel composition in the manner described is,

either before or after drying, in excellent condition for treating with a dye solution for ,the purpose of coloring the hair to the desired shade.

' In some instances -of undue penetration of the dye into the-hair, the treatment above described is preferably repeated until all of the dye has been removed. Usually only a singletreatment is necessary.

I claim:

1. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring material from hair comprising a sulphonated oleaginous material containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair colorremoving constituent and containing no free sulphuric acid.

2. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring material from hair comprising sulphonated castor oil containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair color-removing constituent.

tained with organic acids in amounts varying from 1% to 10% and even higher and preferably from 2 to 5%. In some instances I have obtained satisfactory results in the removal of artificial colors by the use of the sulphonated oleaginous material of the character above set forth, either alone or with the described types of solvents in the absence oforganic acids.

In practicing my invention, the compostion is heated moderately, say to 100 F. to 125 F. or slightly higher, and is applied .in the heated state to the hair containing the artificial color either by the fingers or by brushing until the hair is thoroughly wetted. The air saturated with this composition is then warmed or heatedto a tolerable, high temperature in any suitable manner as by a heat lamp, hot towels, steamer or the like. This heating is continued for a suitable period, usually in the order of thirty to sixty minutes depending on the type of coloring material to be removed from the hair, the type and coarseness of the hair and other contributing factors.

After this heating operation, the hair is rinsed 3. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring material from hair comprising a sulphonated oleaginous material containing free sulphonic acid groups asthe active hair colorremoving constituent and an organic acid capable of forming soluble complexes or compounds with the various metals used in the dyeing art.

4. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring material from hair comprising a sulphonated oleaginous material containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair color-removing constituent, an organic acid capable of forming soluble complexes or compounds with the various metals used in the dyeing art and a solvent mutually soluble in water and the sulphonated oleaginous material and organic acid of the class consisting of the polyhydric alcohols and derivatives thereof.

5. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring material from hair comprising a sulphonated higher fatty alcohol containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair colorremoving constituent, an organic acid capable of forming soluble complexes or compounds with the various metals used in the dyeing art and a solvent mutually soluble in water and the sulphonated alcohol and organic acid of the class consisting of the po-lyhydric alcohols and derivatives thereof.

6. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring material from hair comprising sulphonated castor oil containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair color-removing constituent, ethylene glycol and salicylic acid.

7. A composition for removing artificial metallic hair coloring from living human hair comprising a sulphonated oil containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair color-removing con-.

used in the dyeing art and a minor portion of a I solvent mutually soluble in water and the sul-. phonated oleaginous material and. organic acid of the class consisting of the polyhydric alcohols and derivatives thereof.

I 9. A remover for artificial metallic hair coloring material from living human hair comprising a major portion of sulphonated castor oil cantaming free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair color-removing constituent, a minor portion of ethylene glycol and a small portion of salicylic acid.

10. A composition for removing artificial hair coloring material from hair comprising a sulphonated oleaginous material containing free sulphonic acid groups as the active hair colorremoving constituent and containing no free sulphuric acid.

ABRAHAM R. GOLDFARB. 

